Don’t Miss our June Dine & Discover Program

Few places tell the story of Door County as completely as Eagle Bluff Light Station. On Monday, June 22, the Door County Historical Society invites the public to explore that story through the people who have preserved it across generations.

The Society’s monthly Dine & Discover program will feature Wisconsin authors and lighthouse historians Ken and Barb Wardius at The Log Den, 6626 Highway 42, Egg Harbor.

Best known for their book Wisconsin Lighthouses and numerous other publications on Great Lakes maritime history, the Wardiuses are currently researching and writing a new book on the history of Eagle Bluff Light Station. During the program, they will share how historical research becomes a published book—from locating sources and conducting interviews to piecing together stories and transforming them into a narrative that can be shared with future generations.

Their presentation comes at a particularly meaningful moment. Just four days later, on Friday, June 26, the Door County Historical Society will celebrate the completion of a major restoration and reconstruction project at Eagle Bluff Light Station with a Grand Opening Celebration. The project restored the lighthouse, oil house, and privy while reconstructing the site’s historic barn and summer kitchen, creating a more immersive experience for visitors.

“History doesn’t preserve itself,” said Amy Frank, Executive Director of the Door County Historical Society. “Every generation has played a role in protecting Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. The keepers and their families cared for it when it was an active aid to navigation. Community members rallied to save it in the 1960s. Today, volunteers, donors, and preservationists have helped restore it for future generations. Ken and Barb are helping ensure those stories are not forgotten.”

As part of the Society’s Centennial Celebration, the evening will also feature the latest installment of the “Highlights of Our History” series. This month’s presentation will focus on the 1960s—the decade when local citizens first organized efforts to preserve Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. Their vision and dedication laid the groundwork for the restoration projects that followed and helped secure the lighthouse’s future as one of Door County’s most treasured historic sites.

Together, the evening’s presentations will connect the lighthouse’s past, the community members who saved it, the restoration work completed today, and the ongoing efforts to document and share its story.

Guests will enjoy a delicious meal featuring pork tenderloin with Door County cherry sauce, potatoes, vegetables, and lighthouse-themed cookies for dessert.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:00 p.m., and the program follows. Reservations are required by June 15. Cost is $40 per person (DHCS members pay $35).